Medical therapies (e.g. prednisolone, azathioprine and N-acetylcysteine) have not shown any benefit in patients with IPF and may cause harm. Therefore the focus of management has shifted towards a more holistic approach-management of the symptoms and how patients cope with these, in a chronic progressive terminal disease. Anxiety is recognised to contribute to patients' perceptions of symptoms and quality of life. CBT is being increasingly used in other chronic respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) where there is some evidence that it reduces anxiety and breathlessness. Currently there is no evidence regarding its use in IPF. If CBT is shown to reduce anxiety and help patients cope with symptoms of cough and breathlessness then it can be integrated into the care of all IPF patients to improve quality of life.